


Ballroom Blitz

by fairlightscales



Series: 33 and 1/3 [3]
Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1970s, F/M, Rock and Roll, Ross and Dem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-23 16:23:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,461
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20343106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fairlightscales/pseuds/fairlightscales
Summary: Set before "New Career In A New Town" when Demelza, Malcolm and Hugh are all still getting to know each other





	Ballroom Blitz

**Author's Note:**

> Malcolm and Demelza are the same age and devoted friends. Their nicknames for each other are Red and Blue.  
Ross and Hugh are closer in age. Hugh is the younger of the two.

I

After working together for a few months, Hugh cast around looking for somewhere to perform live. Both Malcolm and Demelza were excellent musicians and it did not take long to come up with a few songs they had written themselves and covers they'd practiced. It was time to test the experiment.  
Hugh found a slot at a showcase at Brighton Pier so Demelza Poldark, they could not agree on a band name, would perform with Edward Bear, The Shrims and The Motors in an afternoon, outdoor concert. That night they would have a set in a bar. Hugh felt hitting the ground running, playing to people rather than practicing in solitude was better for them all. They hired a van and went forth.  
Brighton holiday makers divided into families and groups of youths. The showcase was blessed with a dry, if overcast day. Hugh hired two roadies to help with the equipment, nothing intricate, just helping to set up and break down their gear. They were twins and it would have been difficult to tell them apart but for the fact that John had brown eyes and Ned had green eyes. They got on well, happy to pick up some work and honest kids without bad habits.  
While waiting to go on, they met the other bands. Demelza got on well with the all girl band, The Shrims. The lead singer, Angharad, had hair as red as Demelza's. The Shrims were from Wales and had a bit of punk about them. Angharad had on very aggressive looking motorcycle boots, fishnet tights, a fifties style beaded cardigan over a ratty tee shirt and a short black skirt with no hem so a fringe of strings hung drunkenly all round it. The other members were similarly attired. The Shrims talked to the other bands and were polite to Malcolm and Hugh but meeting Demelza made them all excited. Even they had bought Ross' Christmas single, 'Thy Sweetness' and were gobsmacked to see that she had a band of her own.  
During Demelza's set, second after Edward Bear, they played well and were accepted by the large crowds in front of the open air stage. Being a free show and being Brighton, there were some hecklers. Malcolm stood off his stool, still drumming, looking from one side of the crowd to the other when some man yelled "Show us your tits!" There were too many people about to see the culprit. Malcolm sat back down, glowering, thinking 'If I find that bloke, I'll have 'im...'  
The Shrims were next and they had a poppier sound than their clothes suggested. Red and Blue and Hugh sat off to the side of the stage watching their set. Eleanor the drummer, Judy the bassist, Gabriella on guitar was well as Angharad playing guitar as she sang played very upbeat songs and played them well. Hugh liked them and thought, ruefully, he might have liked to produced them too if life were different.  
After The Motors played and the show ended, there was time to explore before they played in the evening.They walked along in the company of The Shrims looking at the attractions. Malcolm saw a sweet shop and insisted that they couldn't leave Brighton without some Brighton rock, candy sticks that had a clever trick when the candy was pulled into shape. The hard candy had colored swirls on the outside and and name written through the center of the stick.  
"You eat more sugar than anyone I've ever met, Malcolm!" tsked Hugh  
"That's why Blue is so sweet!" laughed Demelza. In unison, the members of The Shrims went "Awwwwwwwww!" and they all had a good laugh as Malcolm blushed a little. He grinned.  
Hugh said, incredulous, "It's a wonder you have teeth to grin with!"  
Malcolm shrugged, "Mam always told us 'you bairns need to brush your teeth or you'll have a mouth like your nan...' So where ever I go I still look after my teeth."  
"Your grandmother had poor teeth?" asked Hugh  
"Nan hadn't a tooth in her head..."  
"What?!" Malcolm looked at a horrified Hugh, "Aye, she had false teeth and when she went to bed, she left them in a glass of water." Hugh blinked away the image of three, apple cheeked, Malcolm looking, little children staring intently at a set of false teeth in a glass as they entered the sweet shop.  
A shop so well stocked, even Angharad and Demelza found their names as well as one for Demelza's daughter, Clowance. The two white paper bags holding The Shrims and their own candy were left in Hugh's care while the rest continued exploring. Hugh reminded them to be back by five and invited The Shrims not only to come by the bar but to join them for dinner as well afterwards. Hugh turned to go, off to look for a restaurant that was large enough to accommodate them all and be a bit posh. He heard someone shout "Armitage!" Hugh looked up the promenade to see two men come towards him. He recognized them as the photographer taking pictures at the showcase and a journalist. They shook hands.  
"We were looking for more pictures for our Brighton story. Can we take one of you with your sweets?"  
"Yes, if you like. Demelza will be playing at the Rose and Crown if you want to come by tonight..." They agreed that the set at the bar might be worth their while. Hugh was asked to stand so the shop's window was in the frame and then they went to trail the others who were still in sight down the promenade. Two ginger girls were easy to spot in the crowd. Hugh watched them as they sauntered further away. He suspected that Ross and Demelza could be grandparents and Malcolm quite old with a wife and family of his own, but even that old, he would forever squire his Red about like an Edwardian lad taking out his best girl. He looked down in to the bag of rock,  
Ross  
Hugh  
Malcolm  
Demelza  
Jeremy  
Clowance

could all be read in the candy sticks they'd bought, jumbled together in the bag in much the same way fate had assembled them together now. Red and Blue were a fun and funny pair and Hugh was thankful to have met them.

II

The Rose and Crown was a well kept bar with a large space to accommodate dancing and the owner, an old hand at weekends where more punters than usual turned up for an event like a music showcase. A chalkboard outside read: 'Demelza Poldark Tonight!- as seen in Brighton Rock Showcase'  
Of the performers, Demelza seemed like the safest bet. The Shrims looked too provocative and Edward Bear and The Motors would bring more men which might lead to trouble with drunks as the night wore on. Many girls had come by to see when Demelza would go on and it seemed like they would pull a good crowd of young women. He was happy to rely on the idea that it would go off as a quiet Saturday night.  
With the help of Ned and John they brought their gear from the van and set up. They were on a raised platform about a foot and a half high from the floor. Once their gear was settled Demelza, Malcolm and Hugh had drinks with The Shrims. Malcolm and Eleanor talked shop about drums, Hugh spoke with Judy and Gabriella about this and that. They were, all three, upper class to some degree, something obscured by their mode of dress but quite obvious when they spoke. Demelza and Angharad chattered together as if they were sisters.  
The crowd started turning up so Hugh led Demelza and Malcolm to the back, behind the little stage. Before this, the photographer had arrived with the writer soon to follow. He took a picture of Angharad and Demelza raising their drinks to him at the bar. Malcolm and John stuck their heads out the door to see the audience. It was a fairly good turnout with lots of excited girls, some with their boyfriend but mostly small groups of girls together. The space in front of the stage was, at least, four deep with girls.  
"Red! I think this is gonna be brilliant!" Malcolm crowed.  
The Shrims were watching from the bar and the regular punters stayed by the bar as well. The floor kept filling up with kids and they would begin soon. Hugh was wearing a light blue oxford shirt and blue jeans and his black brogues. Malcolm had a dark purple Liberty print shirt with the sleeves rolled up and in jeans as well with plain, black, three eyelet work shoes. Demelza had a bit of a sulk because she was made to change out of her black tee shirt that said 'Resurgam' and put on one that was plain white and not one she would have worn on stage otherwise. Hugh had scolded her, saying that she was Demelza Poldark not her husband's groupie, with a haughty sniff of judgement to it. She saw his point but it still rankled her. Without realizing it they also now engineered a situation where her black lace bra could be seen like a shadow against her pale skin under the white shirt. Her black tights little black Mary Jane shoes and short skirt with green and yellow flowers did look very smart with the white tee though. The girls in the audience thought her quite fashionable.  
They waited to mount the stage. Hugh and Demelza had their guitars strapped on. She and Malcolm held hands as they waited, looking to each other with excitement. Hugh thought it cute but wondered if they would ever feel like a trio. As it was Hugh often felt like a third wheel since Demelza and Malcolm knew each other so well and the producer role he usually favored seemed to be a bar against them being truly integrated. He sighed and thought '...early days yet...'  
Please welcome, Demelza Poldark!" There was applause and the sort of cheers one would hear on a Saturday morning children's TV show with so many girls in the audience. They strode out and took their places. Demelza and Hugh plugged in and briefly plucked and strummed to be certain their sound was correct. Demelza introduced Hugh and Malcolm and they began. They started with a song of their own called 'Afterburn' and it went over well. Then they played a cover of The Rolling Stones 'Miss Amanda Jones' and that got some dancing. Hugh winked at Demelza and she giggled into the next chorus, which was found to be charming. but as they finished out, singing 'round and round and round...' a heckler (the same heckler?) yelled "Show us your tits!" Demelza frowned and the crowd lost focus, trying to see where the loudmouth was. Malcolm had his jaw set in irritation and Hugh had his fingers crossed, for luck. Demelza had to bring the audience back to them rather than the heckler and he didn't want to be seen helping her as if she was some lent lily who couldn't manage.  
"Blue?" she asked into the microphone.  
"Aye, Red?"  
"May I have a drum roll, please?" Malcolm's face showed the puzzlement of having no idea what she was doing but he gave a drum roll and tapped his high hat for good measure.  
"It's time for a sing song now!" said Demelza, cheerfully "I'll start and then we'll all sing, O.K.?" There was clapping and whistling. The audience was intrigued. She strummed broad chords on her Vox and sang'  
"I am Henry the eighth I am..."  
The audience started to laugh and applaud at the Herman's Hermits song and she started laughing too. She continued:

Henry the eighth I am, I am  
I got married to the widow next door  
She's been married seven times before  
And every one was an Henry (Henry)  
She wouldn't have a Willy or a Sam (no Sam)  
I'm her eighth old man, I'm Henry  
Henry the eighth I am!

Malcolm laughed and called out "Right, Hugh?!" Hugh started playing the bass line and Malcolm started drumming with enough space for Demelza to join them with her guitar.  
"Come on then," she said "You know what to do!" Malcolm clicked his sticks together as Demelza gleefully said:  
"Second verse, same as the first!"  
They played and the audience sang 'Henry the Eighth' dancing and jumping about. Hugh kept playing but he was openly proud of Demelza for being able to redirect their attention and bring more energy. 'She's a diamond!' thought Hugh.  
The set had gone well. After the gear was laid away safe in the van they returned to the bar. Demelza stood surrounded by young girls and The Shrims chatting about music, being complimented, peppered with questions and even signing some autographs. Hugh sat at the bar with the writer, who was working for Melody Maker, also surrounded by excitable girls. The photographer was going around taking more pictures and the bar owner was happy to have such good taking tonight. Malcolm came back in, having double checked the van and made his way to Demelza. He greeted all the girls in a gallant way and asked Demelza if she wanted a drink.  
"A lemonade, please!"  
"Coming right up!' Malcolm turned to go to the bar as the heckler approached the girls and said, "Now I can see them better..." Demelza turned to ask 'What?' and then leapt out of her skin. She stepped away from him quickly. The smell of the alcoholic, the way it emanates from the very skin of a drunk reminded her of her father.  
"Your tits!"  
Malcolm turned back immediately and stepped between Red and the drunk. He wasn't much older than Malcolm but already had the flushed and bruised look of an alcoholic.  
"I think you need to watch your mouth in front of these young ladies!"  
"You gonna make me?!"  
Malcolm took a step closer and pointed to his own chest.  
"Look, I don't have to do anything because you," here he pointed at the drunk "are gonna watch your mouth in front of these young ladies..."  
"Just because she's your scrubber don't mean you can talk to me like that!"  
Demelza instinctively took a step back as did The Shrims and the rest of the girls. Malcolm didn't move a muscle but his nostrils flared and his pupils had shrunk to jet black points. Demelza had never seen Blue so angry. He looked like Ross did before a fight. Someone near the bar went outside to find a constable. Malcolm said in a raised voice  
"I think you need to watch your fuckin' mouth!"  
Hugh called out, tersely, from the bar in alarm and in a voice so plumy he might as well have been a royal, "Oh for heaven's sake! MALCOLM...!" Malcolm turned to Hugh,  
"This bastard called Red a, och! Jesus!"  
The drunk got in a punch and socked Malcolm in the eye. The girls all screamed. Malcolm had a bit of a shoving match but, in truth, it wasn't much of a fight. The heckler was too drunk to manage much more. Malcolm gave him a final shove that knocked him to the floor. Malcolm knelt down and kept the drunk pressed down on the floor with his knee. His eye was turning into a shiner.  
"Look, you need to stop making a nuisance of yourself and apologize to these girls for being an arsehole!" Just then, the policeman came in.  
"What's all this, then?" said the policeman.  
"What this is, then, " said Malcolm who had not looked up, "is this fucker is going to apologize to Red and all these girls!"  
There was a sharp intake of breath in the room. The girls were now frightened that Malcolm might get into trouble with the policeman. A five second silence was broken like a dam bursting with a cacophony of girls voices all yelling at the police officer.  
"He was helping!"  
"He got hit first!"  
"Officer, officer! It's the drunk you want, not him!"  
"Blue was terrific!"  
The sound of so many girls defending Malcolm at once started to sound like a barnyard full of chickens. The policeman started to feel as if he had been knocked down by a stampede of hens. He tried not to laugh. He looked to Demezla and her silent, pleading eyes. Clearly this Scottish bloke was their hero and they weren't going to see him get in trouble with the law. Malcolm looked up and realized it was a policeman. Only one eye could go wide with surprise because the other was getting swollen. The policeman took one look at Malcolm's black eye and it finished him. He laughed like a drain.  
'All right, all right!" he cleared his throat, "Right! Get up off the fella!" Malcolm stood up and the policeman stood over the drunk.  
"Up you get, come on!" He pulled him up by the arm.  
"So apologize!"  
The drunk glowered but did apologize . The girls all cheered in their Saturday kiddie TV show way and the policeman laughed again. He turned to the drunk again and said, "On your bike!"  
As the heckler left and some girls got in a few insults as well as applause, the policeman turned to the barman and said,  
"Give us a shandy, eh?"  
At dinner, also attended by the writer and the photographer, the waiters were accommodating enough to push the tables together so they could all sit together like a banquet. Malcolm, intermittently icing his eye with a bag of frozen peas was in the seat of honor at the head of the table with Hugh to his left and Red to his right. The writer, the photographer, John and Ned sat on Hugh's side and The Shrims sat on Demelza's side for a festive dinner full of laughter and good conversation.

III

Ross took Clowance and Jeremy to a children's theater performance of Puss In Boots and was walking them back to the flat when he saw Melody Maker in the window of a newsagents. Demelza was due back home tomorrow but the story had come out already. Ross saw listed in the front page contents bar in unassuming black print letters:  
"Brighton Rock, Demelza Poldark's Brighton Bust Up, pg. 16"  
"Bust up?" Ross brought the children in, let them each pick a sweet and bought a copy along with the candy.  
At home he called out to Jinny and Betsy "Come look at this article!" He spread it out on the kitchen table. Pages 14 and 15 had an over view of the showcase including a group photo of all the bands. Pages 16 and 17 were an encapsulated recounting of all Demelza and her companions had gotten up to afterwards with many small pictures and some very amusing captions. There was Hugh in his dark coat and sunglasses clutching bags of Brighton rock, brandishing a couple of the candy sticks in his hand over the caption:  
"Caught red handed! Bassist Hugh Armitage makes off with all the rock!  
The picture of Angharad and Demelza smiling with their glasses raised said: "Arsenic and old lace: Don't be fooled by their old fashioned names, Angharad (The Shrims) and Demelza know how to rock!"  
"But officer! He was trying to take my rock! Drummer Malcolm McNeil makes mincemeat out of a heckler" was the caption for the photo of Blue looking up at the policeman, pinning the drunk to the floor. A second picture of Malcolm and Demelza smiling with Blue's arm around her and gesturing with a beer in his hand and his black eye said: "You shoulda seen the other guy!"  
Raising their glasses in Malcolm's honor at dinner. Red and Blue in a bumper car mashing themselves in to Judy and Eleanor's car. Shots of them on stage with the cheerful, singing audience. Demelza and her merry band of all girl punks, Hugh and Malcolm and the twin roadies made Ross laugh out loud. He looked up from the paper, turning to Jinny and said, "When she went off to work with that Hugh Armitage, I told myself 'well at least they won't get into trouble!'" They had another good laugh and all sat down to have tea with the children. He left the Melody Maker open at those pages so Demelza could see it when she returned. He looked at the picture of her on stage. She looked confident and beautiful with the audience so happy in front of her. Ross' smile didn't leave his face for the rest of the day.

**Author's Note:**

> Ballroom Blitz, The Sweet 1973


End file.
